Markal Paintstiks

Great birthday present from Annette - Markal paintstiks.  I've been wanting to try these for a long time.  Here are some very hurried dabbles on calico and denim - they have worked well on both and are in the drying stage now.  My experimentations will be good for using as backgrounds for postcards and ATCs - I am hoping to join in more of the swaps that I organise - too much on during 2010 - maybe there will be more time in 2011.

Thank you Julie!

For the info on the paintsticks...I think I'll look around for some and put them on my Christmas list.  They do sound like my sort of thing - I don't mind messy!

Miscellaneous Painting

Couple of tall terracotta pots and saucers - given away as gifts. Photo taken before varnishing - the flash reflects off the shiny varnish and spoils the photo, however, after the varnish is applied the paint colours become richer and deeper.






Ikea Mirror - painted with wildflowers. Given away as a gift.

My friend brought me this tin trough to paint for her for her garden - pansies and tulips on one side and roses on the other.

Ikea mirror with roses - gifted.

Ikea mirror with magnolias - given as Christmas gift.

Another wildflower Ikea mirror

Wooden lazy susan and cork placemats - for my dining table

Mirror and wooden box - painted to match Rachelle's bedroom.

Small wooden trough paintined with daisies and rosebuds - gifted.

Daisy practice on mountboard

Daisies on mountboard with lace edging.

Pansies on large candle and wooden plaque.

Decoart Decorative Painting Course

I completed levels 1, 2 and 3 of the Decoart Art of Brushstrokes Decorative Painting Course in 2006. Travelling to a craft shop in Blythe, Nottinghamshire every Wednesday evening for eighteen weeks (150 mile round trip!!!). I really enjoyed this but have been very disappointed that more workshops haven't followed, it's not quite the same painting alone. Anyway, the following pictures are some of the things we did on the course, in no particular order as I can't remember exactly what went where.

Wiggle Flower

Painted lace on wooden coaster

Rosebuds on a faux finished Ikea mirror

More lace on card

Traditional English barge painting

Pansies and lace on a wooden plaque

Father Christmas on a wooden plaque

Teddy and daisies on a wooden plaque.

Rosebuds.........

............and daisies. I think these must have been the first couple of lessons on level 1.

Carnation - using a technique where the brush bristles are splayed and pushed. Not something you like doing with expensive brushes!!!

O Holy Night

I painted this from a free pattern design by Donna Atkins. Paul cut the three candle shaped pieces of wood. Unfortunately the pattern doesn't seem to be available any more so I can't credit Donna with a link to her site. I have found this blog though, and I think it could be the same lady.

Painted Snowmen

I love Deb Malewski's designs, particularly all these snowmen. The round coasters and "Snow Much Fun" were painted for my friend's Christmas gifts.



The stars are ornaments for our Christmas tree and "Snowmen, Snowmen, Come and Play" is hung on the wall at the appropriate time of year!

Painted Bears

Garden Bear - an adaptation of a pattern in an old painting magazine. It's painted on the lid of a largish papier mache box.

Bedroom door plaques painted for a new arrival and her toddler brother.

A couple of Deb Malewski's patterns - the first painted on mountboard and the second painted on on of my husband's carefully crafted wooden plaques.

A Nice Surprise

When checking my emails this morning, I noticed that "Today's Live Link" on the BADFA group (British Association of Decorative Folk Artists) was my very own Picturetrail. I was really chuffed that a famous decorative artist, who chooses the links, thought mine was worth featuring. Must admit I haven't bothered much with it since starting the blog, will have to spruce it up a bit now.

Freecycle and a Gift

I offered some old Folk Art paint on the local Freecycle yesterday - it was quite popular with 8 replies in 24 hours. The lady who ended up getting it makes plaster of paris models and fridge magnets for school stalls etc. She brought me a gift when she collected the paint - an orange segment fridge magnet and it is very nice indeed. I really did not have any use for that paint, not colours I would use, or that I had duplicates of - it feels much better giving it away than putting it in the bin.

Back to Painting

Instead of setting up my embroidery machine, which was the original intention for today, my daughter and I decided to do some painting. With the danger of frost almost over, we have set up studio in the summer house and started some projects. This is my effort for today - I'm well out of practice, it must be getting on for a year since I painted. Too caught up in my quilting adventures. Rachelle is working on a wood framed mirror too, but hasn't decided on her design yet. All basecoated ready to go when she does. I went freehand on the mirror while waiting on some flower pots to dry - they'll be OK to decorate tomorrow. The mirror is pictured unvarnished because it photographs better that way, no reflections. When the varnish is on, the colours come more alive.

Wooden Birdhouse

I bought a couple of these little birdhouses from Jane, last year when I was on the Art of Brushstrokes course at the craft shop in Blythe, Nottinghamshire. Like everything else, I took my time over finishing it, but it's now sealed and hung under the balcony of our summer house. It's decorative and not really intended to be a home for the birds. It's painted all over in a relaxed, casual Dewberry type design. A fun project.

Canal Ware - traditional English Folk Art

My painting has been on the back burner over the summer - I got caught up with the sewing, not to mention having a new machine to work with. Anyway, I finished this canal ware last week. It started out as a shining, silver aluminium tray and buckets from Ikea. I used multi purpose sealer, black and coloured Decoart Americana - finished off with a coat of Decoart Patio Clear Coat. It works, but it's not a tough finish - patio paint over metal primer would be better if it were to stand outside.

Don't forget to paint!

I've been falling behind a bit with my painting projects, so every time I've been dealing with laundry sorting this week, I have done one basecoat onto the cork board for my embellisher swaps. It's currently in a lime green state - which is not something I would show publicly right now!! Will leave the photo until it is a task accomplished. It only takes 10 minutes or so to get a base on and it hasn't interfered with my other 'duties' by doing it in short stages. Need to make a decision on final design before I do any more. Retro floral is floating around in my head - I've certainly no shortage of paint in the lime green / electric pink department.

My Painting

I was at a craft show with a friend and saw someone doing decorative painting. Next month my friend gave me acrylic paint and brushes for Christmas, I bought some books and was hooked, that was December 2004. I painted all sorts of flowerpots and wooden bits and bobs through 2005, joined some painting email lists in the US and got lots of help and tips. Took part in a few exchanges. On holiday in Nottinghamshire summer 2005 I saw an advert for classes in a craft shop and put my name down for the next course - it didn't start until February 2006 but it was so worth waiting for. It was a 150 mile round trip every Wednesday for 18 weeks. My wonderful DH took his day off so he could drive me there and wait while I did the 3 hour class every week. By July 2006 I had completed levels 1, 2 and 3 of the Decoart Art of Brushstroke Decorative Painting course. I missed it when it finished, it was great painting with others and the ladies on the course were lovely.

The picture above is the sample of traditional English folk painting we did on the course. I've got lots of metal buckets, tubs and watering cans waiting in my stash and some of them will get this sort of design............eventually.

Since the end of the course I have been back for two workshops, one "Flowering Beauty" (picture left) and the other "All Snuggled In" a Jamie Mills Price design. Sadly nothing since, the craft shop isn't selling paint anymore, so I guess they won't be doing any more workshops. Good news is that the teacher on the Decoart course may be opening her own studio soon, so can't wait for that.

That's where I am with my painting and how I started.